One of the more commonly seen yet unusual uses of an excavator is on the back of a barge helping to dredge the floor of a river. They are more common than people realize with many excavators permanently attached to the barge – that is their life’s work. For an operator, it can be one of those ‘cushy’ jobs.

Sitting on barges, the excavator’s role is no different than digging a trench on land, the only difference being the trench is under water. The mud is scooped up and dumped into another barge, the water-based version of a dump truck. The work is relatively easy with the biggest danger being bridges and underwater cables.

Despite being an easy job, they are hard to come by since they can be very popular amongst operators. The skills required to operate a barge-mounted excavator are no different than those required to operate a land-based excavator. Standard heavy equipment operator training is all that you require together with a reasonable amount of experience.

If you are considering a career as an excavator operator then you will be entering a field that can be interesting and varied. Excavators are no longer restricted to just digging trenches; they operate in a wide range of environments including my favorite, demolition. ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools offer a comprehensive training course that prepares graduates for work in a variety of fields. Our training is accredited and recognized nationally. This means your training credentials qualify you for employment as a heavy equipment operator across the country. If this sounds like a career for you, contact us now to discuss your training options.

Heavy equipment careers rise and fall in popularity on a regular basis and it is hard to assess any reasons for this swing. Demand is not really the factor. In fact, demand is created when heavy equipment careers seem to drop in popularity. Should you consider a career as a heavy equipment operator? Here are few key benefits to a career in heavy equipment:

• Wages – heavy equipment operators are amongst the best paid workers on a construction site. Away from construction, they still receive decent wage rates.
• Life time skills – operating heavy equipment is a little like driving a car or riding a bike. You never lose these skills. Sure, if you’re out of the business for a long time, you may take a couple of hours to reacquaint yourself – but the basics skills will return quickly.
• Travel – skilled operators are required everywhere. In fact, there is a world wide demand for operators so the opportunity exists for travel, either interstate or internationally. Gain you qualifications through a training company that offers nationally accredited training.
• Work hours – some consider this a minus. Generally speaking, an operator is up early and finishes early. There are some projects where the work is undertaken in shifts so you may find yourself working afternoons and evenings. You may also need to work on weekends. However, extra hours means extra pay.
• Respect – the community in general, along with fellow workers, all have a huge respect for competent operators. In fact, you will often be the envy of others.

A career as a heavy equipment operator is challenging, interesting and rewarding. Those that enter the field generally stay for many years. The current attrition rate in operators is not because they dislike the job; most of those leaving are doing so because they have reached retiring age. Like the sound of a heavy equipment career? Contact ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools for details on our next training program.

The popularity of heavy equipment careers seems to come in waves – this could be an economic led effect or perhaps an effect brought on by publicity when heavy equipment labor shortages appear. We are currently in a situation where we have both of these effects – an economy that is coming out of a recession and a shortage of heavy equipment operators.

When considering a career as a heavy equipment operator, most people focus on one piece of equipment. You will often hear someone say, “I want to drive a bulldozer”; or “I want to drive a crane”. I can’t help having a little chuckle when I hear the words “I want to drive”. Sure, you do drive trucks and there is an element of driving when it comes to most heavy equipment – but driving is such a small component. The question I always ask is, why are you limiting yourself to a bulldozer?

Heavy equipment careers span a very wide range of machinery and in many cases skills are transferable between machinery. If you can operate an excavator and a front-end loader then you can operate a backhoe – and vice-versa. For this reason, I recommend learning to operate a variety of machinery.

For you, the operator, it makes you far more employable, since you can apply for a wider variety of positions. For an employer, you are far more attractive since you offer employees the flexibility of using your abilities where and when required – this is particularly useful if you are called upon to complete a job where the current operator is ill or injured.

What are the options in heavy equipment careers? There is no limit. Check out any decent heavy equipment training program and they should offer you training on a variety of machinery. Gain as much experience as you can and the sky is the limit.

Some construction sites that use heavy equipment can be real eye openers if you take the time to look at what is going on and how it affects the community. Often, the construction itself will become a historical item.

Take the Christopher S. Bond Bridge in Kansas City. This bridge, when completed in 2011, will become the first cable-stayed vehicle bridge ever constructed across the Missouri River. Without heavy equipment, that bridge would take another twenty years to complete.

Two barge-mounted heavy cranes were used to lift and position each of the 11-foot-diameter, 85,000-pound steel pipes that line the drill shafts. Once the pipes were in place 48 pieces of 85-foot-long rebar were lifted and positioned inside each pipe. Cranes will also be used to lift each of the 40 cables that will be anchored to the pylon.

Whilst the cranes are busy putting the huge jigsaw puzzle together, bulldozers, graders and loaders are busy preparing the approaches, the on and off ramps along with almost 5 miles of highway that will be reconstructed or rehabilitated.

There are 1100 people working on that project and it has another two years to run – and it is only one of many thousands of projects being worked on around the country right now – with more to come. They will not all be as interesting bridge building – however, if you’re prepared to look a little closer, you will always find something interesting about them.

Heavy equipment could help build roads or bridges without carefully trained operators to control the equipment. You can join the heavy equipment workforce by undertaking a training program that has been accredited by industry – the people who do the hiring the firing. ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools are accredited to deliver training and can help you get your career as a heavy equipment operator off to a flying start.

You can gain experience and a variable range of training by simply doing – that is – borrowing a piece of heavy equipment and practicing, perhaps with an old hand showing you some of the ropes. There are even employers who may be willing to employ you based on that experience, the number is reducing every year however.

Gaining certification through format training is not exactly ‘cheap’ – but then you don’t want anything that is ‘cheap’ these days. The old saying ‘cheap and nasty’ often holds true and it can be particularly true when it comes to training. Having said that, training is not overly expensive, not when you consider what you are getting in return for your dollars.

Certification is virtually a life long qualification. Sure, there are some jobs or industries where you have to keep up to date with the latest techniques and safety rules. There are some areas that require at the very least license renewals (CDL truck licenses for example), however the training and original certification are still valid.

The cost of your training and certification should then be considered an investment – an investment in your future. You will always find employment in the heavy equipment field – it’s simply a matter of maintaining your skill levels and experience.

ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools can provide you with quality training in heavy equipment, cranes and truck driving. Training is done to nationally accredited standards and certifications issued are also to nationally accredited standards. Invest in your future with a well paying career in heavy equipment operations, crane operations or truck driving. You will never regret your investment.

In the 21st century, you don’t have be a boy or drag your knuckles to want to play with dump trucks, bulldozers, and loaders. Girls can play too.

The ATS Heavy Equipment Training School has been known to certify female bulldozer and heavy equipment operators and it’s likely that we will continue to turn out the best equipment operators of either gender.

When it comes to training, you definitely want the best. And if you expect to excel in your career and have the best advancement opportunities then you want the best education. ATS schools are certified by by National Certification Programs that give heavy equipment operators a leg up everywhere. Our students are recognized as some of the best equipment operators in the world. Even our female operators do better in their careers because of the expert training they receive at ATS.

If you are serious about being a heavy equipment operator then try ATS.